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Lakeland Police: FSC Death May Be Linked To Frat Event

Special To TBO.com From Florida Southern College

Michael Szwed, 22, was found dead Saturday from an apparent spleen injury.

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A TBO.com Staff Report

Published: January 28, 2008

Updated: 01/28/2008 02:40 pm

LAKELAND - A "hard fall" at a fraternity event during the weekend may have lacerated the spleen of a Florida Southern College communications major, leading to the senior's death.

Michael Szwed, 22, who lived at 410 E. Belmar St., Lakeland, was dead in the bathroom of his home when authorities were called about 10 p.m. Saturday. His roommate and acquaintances said Szwed had participated in Bid Day on Saturday morning, when students interested in joining fraternities participate in functions on campus.

Szwed was a member of Sigma Chi.

The Lakeland Police Department said officers responded to a call for help from friends who found Szwed unresponsive. He was dead at the scene, police said.

Police said the Szwed had been drinking late Friday night and continued early Saturday morning before heading to the fraternity event. Szwed took "a hard fall" at an event and shortly after that "he became pale and sickly looking," witnesses told police

Szwed left Bid Day and made it home. A roommate checked on him at 11:30 a.m. and found Szwed in the bathroom, coughing and sounding like he was vomiting.

The roommate left and didn't return until about 10 a.m., after the body had been found by another acquaintance.

An autopsy concluded that the cause of death was a lacerated spleen. Toxicology tests are pending. Foul play is not suspected.

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